Lethargic corys?

[diogenes]

So about 3 days ago my tank finished cycling. Ammonia, Nitrites, and Nitrates are all at zero (i've been doing daily tests) ph is 6.0, temp is 79F. I cycled with fish (swordtails) and I have one male and female sword left. I just stocked the tank yesterday with other fish. I introduced 2 small black lace veil angels, and 3 small baby salt and pepper cory cats. The angels have been active and eating, the female sword is good, and the male sword is active but with clamped fins, and sometimes hides on the bottom. I think he may have been damaged during the cycle. The 3 corys are hard to spot. I think they're hiding under the drift wood, but occasionally I see individuals in the tank. They're little bitty like maybe an inch long probably slightly shorter. Occasionally I see one swim up to the top for a breath of air and then sink back down. My understanding was that these were active fishes. What's the deal?

anybody ever had any scared cory's? should I add more cory's? Are they scard to be away from the shoal?

Any help would be much appreciated thanks.
-C

 

[bluerose]

Unless your tank is heavily heavily heavily planted... you are not cycled... you don't have nitrates.

Keep up those daily tests (reagent tests not strips I hope) and do a 50% PWC whenever ammonia or nitrites hit .5ppm. Once ammonia and nitrItes are consistently 0 and nitrAtes are showing up (up to 20ppm is safe), you're cycled.

How did you acclimate the fish? they could be a little shell-shocked if they were added too quickly.

 

[diogenes]

Unless your tank is heavily heavily heavily planted... you are not cycled... you don't have nitrates.

Keep up those daily tests (reagent tests not strips I hope) and do a 50% PWC whenever ammonia or nitrites hit .5ppm. Once ammonia and nitrItes are consistently 0 and nitrAtes are showing up (up to 20ppm is safe), you're cycled.

How did you acclimate the fish? they could be a little shell-shocked if they were added too quickly.

Well I had 40 ppm then it started to decrease now it tests between 5 and zero....

I let the bags float for about 30 minutes. Then I added a few drips of tank water to the bag and waited about 10 minutes. Then a little more tank water and waited about ten minutes. Continued that process for about an hour and then poured the fish into the tank.

I'm using an API master kit.

 

[bluerose]

Odd. I have no idea then re: nitrates. It sounds like you're cycled though but I'm not sure.

In the future you'll want to acclimate similarly but in a bucket, get about 3-4 times the amount of tank water vs bag water, and then net the fish instead of pouring the tank water in (who knows what's in it).

 

[diogenes]

Odd. I have no idea then re: nitrates. It sounds like you're cycled though but I'm not sure.

In the future you'll want to acclimate similarly but in a bucket, get about 3-4 times the amount of tank water vs bag water, and then net the fish instead of pouring the tank water in (who knows what's in it).

thanks I think I will try the bucket next time. I felt comfortable doing it this way because the store where I bought my livestock is the only store in my area (washington dc) that actually has 200 QT tanks in the back. The only fish that make it out to the show tanks for sale are the disease free, good eating healthy specimens. The show tanks are spotless too! I went to probably 20 stores waiting for my tank to cycle, but this one was definitely the one with the best looking fish and tanks.

they have a website actually: Aquarium Store, Freshwater, Saltwater-SCALES Tropical Fish Warehouse

 

[Purrbox]

Do you have any live plants in your aquarium?

If not, the Nitrate test kit is suspect. Check the date to ensure it isn't expired. Check the instructions to ensure you've been following them properly (it's easy to think you remember the instructions and leave a critical step out). If you're still get 0 results, then take a water sample to your LFS to test and see what results they get.

 

[diogenes]

no I have no live plants. I do pretty much daily 5 gallon water changes (my tank is 37 gallon). Since the cycle completed I have only done one 10 gallon change prior to adding fish. I did the NO3 test this morning and followed it to exacting detail. It showed 10ppm.

 

[Purrbox]

That test result makes much more sense.

Cories do like being in groups, so I'd say their lack of activity is probably because there are only three. If you can get their numbers upto 5-6 you'll probably see a lot more activity out of them.